Ottoman Algeria in Western Diplomatic History with ... - Bibliothèque

French northern ports of Bretagne where the demand for American grain was
as pressing as that for Algerian grain. 35
So far, four major players have been identified but the picture would not
be complete should one exclude a fifth player: Portugal. In 1793, the almost
three hundred years-old war was still raging between Algiers and Portugal and
since 1786, date of the Spanish treaty with Algiers, Portugal had been
controlling the western outlet of the Gibraltar straits. In that way, Portugal
limited the access of the corsairs of Algiers to the Atlantic where its richesloaded
vessels returning from Brazil were sailing. In the Atlantic too, American
ships were sailing in great numbers carrying wheat to France. On another scale,
the British had already failed in their attempts with the Dey to starve France but
very soon a Machiavellian plan was to see the light: they asked the Portuguese
to participate with their fleet in the war against France. 36 For the Portuguese,
however, removing the fleet from the blockade meant that their ships returning
from Brazil would be exposed to corsairs’ attacks; so they accepted to join in
the war on the condition that Britain would help them negotiate a peace treaty
with Algiers. 37 Logie, apparently on instructions from his government, engaged
in preliminary talks with the Dey that culminated in a one-year truce which
opened the Atlantic for Algerian cruisers. By concluding a truce on behalf of
35 Grammont, Histoire d’Alger, p. 351.
36 This allegation is based on a report from Sir Walpole, British ambassador in Lisbon, about a meeting
with Luis Pinto de Souza, Portuguese minister and secretary of state for foreign affairs (British
archives, FO 63/16). Parker, Uncle Sam in Barbary, p. 226.
37 According to the British, it was the court of Portugal which asked Britain “to procure a peace for
them with the Algerines.” SPPD, 10:305, Mr. Pinckney to the Secretary of State, November 25, 1793.
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